In a typical electrophotographic printing process, a photoconductive member is charged to a substantially uniform potential so as to sensitize the surface thereof. The charged portion of the photoconductive member is exposed to a light image of an original document being reproduced. Exposure of the charged photoconductive member selectively dissipates the charge therein in the irradiated areas. This records an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive member corresponding to the informational areas contained within the original document. After the electrostatic latent image is recorded on the photoconductive member, the latent image is developed at a developer station by bringing a developer material into contact therewith. Generally, the developer material is made from toner particles adhering triboelectrically to carrier granules. The toner particles are attracted from the carrier granules to the latent image forming a toner powder image on the photoconductive member. The toner powder image is then transferred from the photoconductive member to a copy sheet. Heat is applied to the toner particles to permanently affix the powder image to the copy sheet. Often, residual toner remains in the developer station and the cleaning station. This residual toner is generally passed to a toner waste dispensing assembly or container where it is passed outside the marking system.
This excess or residual toner is eliminated from the machine and waste toner is collected in a waste toner container. The waste toner container is then removed when filled and disposed of. In color systems waste toner cannot be reused because of the plurality of colored toner in the waste mix.
Some xerographic or electrophotographic machines exhaust waste dry ink (toner) at a rate of approximately 320 grams/hour (actual rate varies with job area coverage, stock size, toner aging purge parameters and manifold emissions). At this rate, a currently-used waste dry ink container has to be replaced approximately every 28 hours. Furthermore, the waste container has stringent strength requirements: sustain 6 inches wg vacuum pressure and hold 20 lb. weight.
Because of the high waste rate and stringent strength requirements, a very expensive plastic container is currently used in several machines. The high replacement rate leads to about 35 tons of plastic waste per year per machine. The disposal of these plastic containers poses an environmental problem in the prior art.
Designing a simpler waste cyclone dispense system would make the electrophotographic marking apparatus a greener machine by reducing plastic waste in the landfill. It would also reduce the piece part cost of a high replacement item.